Grandmaster flash
- •
A Conversation with Grandmaster Dee
Photo courtesy of Grandmaster Dee
After rap’s initial introduction to wax a new wave of Hip-Hop artists took the genre to a more expansive landscape. Spearheaded by Run-DMC, this group of artists dubbed “The New School” included acts like LL Cool J, The Fat Boys, and Whodini. The latter stood out among its peers due to their adult contemporary sound. The smoother and more dance floor friendly tunes attracted black radio and older listeners that had previously eschewed rap.
Consisting of Jalil (emcee), Ecstasy (emcee), and (DJ) Grandmaster Dee this three-man band created Hip-Hop anthems that have been sampled and covered by a slew of different artists and continue to move crowds today. Friends, One Love, Five Minutes of Funk, Big Mouth, and Freaks Come Out at Night are just a few of the gems that cemented Whodini inside Hip-Hop’s pantheon.
The Real Hip-Hop had the great pleasure of speaking with Grandmaster Dee about Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, his memories of the late, great John “Ecstasy” Fletcher, and the legacy of Whodini.
TRHH: Sta DJ Drew Carter, a.k.a. Grandmaster Dee. (b. June 12th, 1962). Turntable artist in hip hop group, Whodini. Whodini is a hip hop group that was formed in 1981. The Brooklyn, New York-based trio consisted of vocalist and main lyricist Jalil Hutchins; co-vocalist John Fletcher, a.k.a. Ecstasy (who wore a Zorro-style hat as his trademark); and turntable artist DJ Drew Carter, a.k.a. Grandmaster Dee. Whodini was among the first hip hop groups to cultivate a high-profile national following for hip hop music and made significant inroads on urban radio. They were contemporaries of other hip hop groups such as the Fat Boys, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Afrika Bambaataa and Warp 9. The group was managed by Russell Simmons, brother of Joseph “Run” Simmons of Run-D.M.C. The group signed with London-based independent record label Jive Records in 1982; they enjoyed a string of hits for several years, mostly charting on urban and R&B radio stations. The bulk of production on their releases was done by Larry Smith, a bass player who also handl •
Grandmaster Dee
Career
Early years
•
Copyright ©hubdebt.pages.dev 2025